ACR Publishes National Research Agenda for 2016–2020

Key Agenda Themes
The overall themes that emerged in the 2016–2020 ACR National Research Agenda include the need to:

• Define new therapeutic targets and therapies (including regenerative medicine);
• Improve understanding of existing therapies (including predictors of response or adverse events, and the role of non-pharmacologic therapy);
• Foster a better understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis and genetic basis of rheumatic diseases; pain and fatigue; co-morbidities; and the influence of aging;
• Improve outcome measures, including patient-reported outcome measures and imaging modalities;
• Explore the role of the changing healthcare landscape in the U.S. for patients, rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals; and
• Better engage patients in their own care.

Reference

1. American College of Rheumatology National Research Agenda 2016–2020. 2016 Apr. http://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/ACR-Research-Agenda-2016-2020.pdf.

Kelly April Tyrrell writes about health, science and health policy. She lives in Madison, Wis.